Machine for feeding the curved periphery of a workpiece past a work station

ABSTRACT

A machine for feeding the curved periphery of a sole past a cement applying station. A sensing device is so located that it is intersected by the sole when the side portions of the sole periphery are fed past the station and is not intersected by the sole when the toe portion of the sole periphery is fed past the station. A control causes the sole periphery to be fed past the station at a relatively high speed when the sensing device is intersected by the sole and to be fed past the station at a relatively low speed when the sensing device is not intersected by the sole.

United States Typrowicz 1 Apr. 4, 1972 [72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Jacob S. Kamborian, West Newton, Mass.

[22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 89,789

Wladyslaw Typrowicz, Belmont, Mass.

Kamborian ..12/1 B Ouimet 12/20 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. LawsonAttorney-Albert Gordon [5 7] ABSTRACT A machine for feeding the curvedperiphery of a sole past a cement applying station. A sensing device isso located that it is intersected by the sole when the side portions ofthe sole periphery are fed past the station and is not intersected bythe sole when the toe portion of the sole periphery is fed past thestation. A control causes the sole periphery to be fed past the stationat a relatively high speed when the sensing device is intersected by thesole and to be fed past the station at a relatively low speed when thesensing device is not intersected by the sole.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 4 1972 SHEET 1 OF 6 FIG.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING THE CURVED PERIPHERY OF A WORKPIECE PAST A WORKSTATION This invention is concerned with a machine for feeding thecurved periphery of a workpiece past a work station at which work isperformed on the workpiece. While the illustrative embodiment of theinvention discloses a sole being fed to a station where cement isapplied to the sole, in its broadest aspects the invention is not solimited. For example, the invention has utility in feeding an insole toa station wherein a welt rib is applied to an insole to make the productdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,983.

It is desirable to feed the workpiece periphery past the work station asrapidly as possible so as to complete the machine operation as quicklyas possible. However, when portions of the curved periphery having arelatively small radius of curvature are fed past the work station theytend not to swing quickly enough to be in the proper position.Therefore, it has been found desirable to slow the feed speed when theseportions are being fed through the work station.

This invention is concerned with a machine that automatically slows downthe feeding speed of the workpiece periphery as the portions of theperiphery having relatively small radiuses of curvature are moving pastthe work station. In order to accomplish this, a sensing device isprovided that is so located as to be intersected by the workpiece whenportions of the workpiece periphery having relatively large radiuses ofcurvature are being fed past the work station and as to not beintersected by the workpiece when portions of the workpiece peripheryhaving relatively small radiuses of curvature are being fed past thework station. A control is incorporated in the machine that operates tofeed the workpiece periphery at a relatively high speed when the sensingdevice is being intersected by the workpiece and operates to feed theworkpiece periphery at a relatively low speed when the sensing device isnot being intersected by the workpiece.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a workpiece feeding means in the machine;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a cement extruding mechanism in themachine;

FIG. 5 is a section ofa cement nozzle;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a portion of the machine controlcircuit;

FIG. 7 is a view of a sole with a ribbon of cement applied thereto bythe machine; and

FIG. 8 is a view of the sole being fed past the nozzle.

The operator is intended to stand below the machine as seen in FIG. 1.Directions that extend toward the operator will be referred to asforward" and directions that extend away from the operator will bereferred to as rearward. The part of the machine closest to the operatoris considered to be the front of the machine and the part of the machinefurtherest from the operator is considered to be the back of themachine.

Referring to FIGS. 1 3, the machine comprises a base 10 having a pillar12 extending upwardly therefrom. A shaft 14, extending verticallythrough the pillar 12 is connected to a two speed motor 15. The shaft 14is connected by gearing 16 to a shaft 18 that extends forwardly throughand is rotatable in the pillar 12 and a column 20. The column 20 issecured to and extends upwardly of the base 10. A knurled feed roll 22is secured to the front ofthe shaft 18.

A beam 24 is pivoted to the pillar 12 by pins 26 so as to extendforwardly of the pillar l2 and be vertically swingable about the axis ofthe pins 26. An air actuated motor 28, secured to the base 10, has anupwardly extending piston rod 30 that is pivotally connected to a lug32. The lug 32 is secured to the beam 24. A block 34 is secured to thetop ofthe front of the beam 24, and a shaft 36 is rotatably mounted inthe block 34. The shaft 36 is connected by universal couplings 38 to ashaft 40 that is rotatably mounted in the pillar 12 below the shaft 18.The shaft 40 is connected to the shaft 18 by gearing 42. A feed roll 44is secured to the front of the shaft 36 and is located below the feedroll 22. An idler roll 46, located forwardly of the feed roll 44, isrotatably mounted in an arm 48 that is attached to the block 34. A pairof idler guide rolls 50 and 52, rotatable about vertical axes, are alsoattached to the block 34.

The motor 15 is so connected to the shafts 18 and 40 that a workpiecegripped between the feed rolls 22 and 44, in the manner described below,is fed leftwardly as seen in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, an angle 54 is secured to the base 10laterally of the pillar 12. A framework 56 is secured to and extendsupwardly of the angle 54. An arm 58 is pivoted by a pin 60 to theframework 56 and extends forwardly thereof. A tension spring 62,extending between the arm 58 and the framework 56, serves to yieldablyurge the arm 58 downwardly. A bolt 64, threaded into the arm 58, isengageable with the framework to limit the extent of downward movementof the arm 58 under the influence of the spring 62.

A nozzle 66 (FIG. 5) is secured to the front of the arm 58. The nozzlehas an orifice 68 that intersects its bottom surface 70. The orifice 68communicates through passages 72, 74 and 76 with a hose 78, and the hose78 is connected to a cement melting and pumping mechanism 80 that isconstructed substantially as shown in pending application Ser. No.17,089 filed Mar. 6, 1970. A valve 82, rotatably mounted in the nozzle66, has a port 84 that, in one position of the valve, providescommunication between the passages 72 and 74. Upon rotation of the valve82, the port 84 is brought out of alignment with the passages 72 and 74so as to prevent the flow of cement, as described below, through theorifice 68. A lever 86 is pinned to the valve 82 to effect its rotation.The lever 86 is pivoted to a clevis 88, and the clevis 88 is secured tothe piston rod 90 of an air actuated motor 92 that is pivotallyconnected to the arm 58 by a pin 94.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a table 96 extends forwardly of the base 10and below the feed roll 22. The table 96 has a cutout 98 to accommodatethe rolls 44, 46, 50 and 52. A tube 100 is mounted to a bracket 102 thatis secured to the base 10. A tube 104, mounted to the tube 100, extendsupwardly into an orifice 106 in the table 96. A tube 108, mounted to thebracket 102, has a downwardly directed end that is located above thetable 96 and is in alignment with the tube 104. The tube 104, theorifice 106 and the tube end 110 comprise a sensing device that islocated forwardly of a plane that is tangent to the fronts of the guiderolls 50 and 52 and on the entrance side (right side in FIG. 1) of thefeed rolls 22 and 44.

Referring to FIG. 6, pressurized air flows into the tube 108 from asource (not shown). When the space between the tube end 110 and the tube104 is not blocked or intersected by a workpiece, the air flowingdownwardly out of the tube end 1 10 flows through tubes 104 and 100 toclose a pressure operated switch 112. The closure of the switch 112energizes a coil 1 14 ofa relay 116 to place a switch 118 of the relayin the solid line position to connect a potentiometer 120 with a speedcontrol unit 122 so as to operate the motor 15 and the feed rolls 22 and44 at a relatively low speed.

When the space between the tube end 110 and the tube 104 is blocked orintersected by a workpiece, the pressurized air does not enter the tubes104 and 100, thus enabling the switch 112 to open. The opening of theswitch 112 deenergizes the coil 114 so that the switch 118 moves to theposition shown in dashed lines to connect a potentiometer 124 with thespeed control unit 122 so as to operate the motor 15 and the feed rolls22 and 44 at a relatively high speed.

In the idle condition of the machine: the motor 15 is rotating the feedrolls 22 and 44; the piston rod 30 is retracted into the motor 28 sothat the rolls 44 and 46 are in a lower position below the top of thetable 96; the piston rod 90 is retracted into the motor 92 so that thevalve 82 is closed with the port 84 out of alignment with the passages72 and 74; and pressurized air is blowing from the tube 108 into thetube 100 to maintain the switch 112 closed so that the feed rolls 22 and44 are rotating at a relatively low speed.

FIG. 7 shows a shoe sole 126 that is to be coated with cement by themachine. While the cement may be applied along the entire periphery ofthe sole, FIG. 7 shows it as being applied along the sole periphery fromthe breastline 128 on one side of the sole around the sole toe portion130 and back to the breastline 132 on the other side of the sole in theform of a ribbon 134. The sole is placed on the table 96 so that thebreastline 128 bears against the guide rolls 50 and 52 and is locatedbetween the feed rolls 22 and 44, and the nozzle orifice 68 is locatedabove the sole breast line 128 inwardly of its periphery.

The plane that is tangent to the fronts of the guide rolls 50, 52 actsas a guiding plane for the sole as its periphery is fed past the nozzle68 in the manner described below. The tube 104 and the tube end 110 arelocated inwardly of this guiding plane with respect to the sole on theentrance side (right side in FIG. 8) of the feed rolls 22 and 24. Sincethe side portion of the sole periphery that extends toewardly of thebreastline 128 is relatively straight, the placement of the sole on thetable 96 with the breastline 128 bearing against the guide rolls 50 and52 causes the sole to intersect the air flowing from the tube 108 to thetube 100 and thus enables the switch 112 to open and cause the feedrolls 22 and 44 to rotate at a relatively high speed.

The operator now operates a control which causes the mechanism 80, inthe manner shown in the aforementioned application Ser. No. 17,089, topump cement through the hose 78 toward the nozzle 66. This is followedby an actuation of the motor 92 to project its piston rod 90 and thusopen the valve 82 by bringing the port 84 into alignment with thepassages 72 and 74 to enable cement to flow from the hose 78 through thenozzle 66. Concomitantly with the actuation of the motor 92, the motor28 is actuated to project its piston rod 30 and thus raise the rolls 44and 46 into engagement with the sole 126.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the sole 126 is caused to beraised off the table 96 and be gripped and fed leftwardly, as seen inFIG. 8, by the rotating feed rolls 22, 44 while the ribbon of cement 134is pumped through the nozzle orifice 68 onto the sole. Because of theacute angle formed between the feed rolls 22, 44 and the guiding planethat is tangent to the fronts of the guide rolls 50, 52, the sole isurged leftwardly and rearwardly toward the guide rolls while the curvedperiphery of the sole is being guided leftwardly by the guide rolls. Theidler roll 46 helps to support the sole while it is being fed by therolls 22, 44. A cut-out 136 (FIG. is formed in the bottom of the nozzle66 between the orifice 68 and the trailing end (the right end in FIG. 5)of the nozzle to enable the cement pumped through the orifice to bedeposited on the sole as the sole is fed past the nozzle. The spring 62causes the nozzle 66 to be resiliently urged against the sole during thefeeding of the sole past the nozzle.

The sensing device constituted by tube 104, orifice 106 and tube end 110are so located that as the periphery of the toe portion 130 of the sole126, which has a relatively small radius of curvature, approaches thework station formed by the nozzle 68 the sole stops blocking the sensingdevice so that pressurized air can flow into the tube and close theswitch 112, thus causing the rolls 22, 44 to rotate at the relativelyslow speed and feed the toe portion of the sole periphery past the workstation at the relatively slow speed. After the periphery of the toeportion of the sole has passed the work station, the sensing device isagain blocked by the sole so that the feed of the sole periphery pastthe work station is resumed at the relatively high speed.

The sole periphery is fed past the work station at the relatively highspeed so that the sole feeding and cement applying operation can takeplace in as short a time as possible. However, when the periphery of thetoe portion 130 of the sole 126 is presented by the feed rolls 22, 44 tothe guide rolls 50, 52 at the relatively high speed, the sole has atendency to not swing quickly enough to enable the sole periphery tostay in continuous engagement with the guide rolls. it is thereforedesirable to slow down the sole feeding movement during the movement ofthe toe end portion of the sole periphery past the guide rolls 50, 52and the nozzle 66.

When the breastline 132 of the sole approaches the work station, theoperator actuates the motor 28 to lower the rolls 44, 46 to theiroriginal position and causes the motor 92 to reclose the valve 82, thusterminating the sole feeding and cement applying operation and enablingthe operator to remove the sole from the machine. This is followed byoperating the mechanism 80 so as to terminate the pumping of cement intothe hose 78. This completes the machine cycle.

Heating means are incorporated in the cement melting and pumpingmechanism 80, the hose 78 and the nozzle 66 so that the cement, which isthermoplastic, is deposited on the sole 126 in fluent condition. Beforethe cement ribbon 134 has had time to solidify, the sole is aligned withthe bottom of a lasted shoe and is pressed and secured to the bottom ofthe shoe in a conventional sole press.

I claim:

1. A machine for feeding the curved periphery of a workpiece past a workstation at which work is performed on the workpiece comprising: feedmeans, operable at a relatively high speed or a relatively low speed,for feeding the workpiece periphery past the station; a sensing deviceso located that it is intersected by the workpiece when a portion of theperiphery having a relatively large radius of curvature is being fedpast the station and is not intersected by the workpiece when a portionof the periphery having a relatively small radius of curvature is beingfed past the station; control means operable to operate the feed meansat the relatively low speed when the sensing device is not intersectedby the workpiece; and means responsive to the intersection of thesensing device by the workpiece to cause the control means to operatethe feed means at the relatively high speed.

2. The machine as defined in claim 1 further comprising: guide meansdefining a guiding plane so constructed as to guide the workpieceperiphery past the station as it is fed rearwardly towards the guidemeans by the feed means; and wherein the sensing device is locatedforwardly of the guiding planeon the entrance side of the feed means.

1. A machine for feeding the curved periphery of a workpiece past a workstation at which work is performed on the workpiece comprising: feedmeans, operable at a relatively high speed or a relatively low speed,for feeding the workpiece periphery past the station; a sensing deviceso located that it is intersected by the workpiece when a portion of theperiphery having a relatively large radius of curvature is being fedpast the station and is not intersected by the workpiece when a portionof the periphery having a relatively small radius of curvature is beingfed past the station; control means operable to operate the feed meansat the relatively low speed when the sensing device is not intersectedby the workpiece; and means responsive to the intersection of thesensing device by the workpiece to cause the control means to operatethe feed means at the relatively high speed.
 2. The machine as definedin claim 1 further comprising: guide means defining a guiding plane soconstructed as to guide the workpiece periphery past the station as itis fed rearwardly towards the guide means by the feed means; and whereinthe sensing device is located forwardly of the guiding plane on theentrance side of the feed means.